1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for restricting processing such as copying, facsimile communication, and data transmission based on a specific image contained in image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image processing apparatus is inputted with image data and performs processing such as outputting it by copying, facsimile transmission, or data transmission. When a specific image which indicates restriction information is detected in inputted image data, processing to be executed is restricted. This allows the prevention of unauthorized uses of the image processing apparatus thereby protecting the image data. Further, by detecting a specific image which indicates tracking information, it is made possible to identify the image processing apparatus that has outputted the image data. This will also allow the prevention of unauthorized uses.
Therefore, in an image processing apparatus, a specific image is added when inputted image data is processed. For example, it is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-178048 that when image data is read in a color mode, a specific image is added to the image data; and when image data is read in a black-and-white mode, a specific image is not added.
The specific image is a color image of a light color and is not visible to a human even when it is printed. Therefore, the specific image is added in a color mode. On the other hand, a specific image is not added to image data which are processed in a black-and-white mode. However, in place of a specific image, a watermark or texture pattern is added. When a document added with a watermark or texture pattern is copied, it will be printed in such a way that such a pattern is visually recognizable. Thus, the user can recognize that that is a copy.
It is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-45271 that a specific image having a color is added in the case of a color image processing apparatus for performing scanning and printing in full color, and a black-and-white specific image is added in the case of a black-and-white image processing apparatus for performing scanning and printing in monochrome.
Confidential papers of a color image are added with a specific image so that a security measure to restrict processing such as inhibiting copying is performed. However, when image data is processed in a black-and-white mode in an image processing apparatus capable of processing image data in a color mode, a specific image will not be added.
However, confidential papers include papers of a black-and-white image. Therefore, when a confidential paper of a black-and-white image is created, a specific image will not be added thereto since it is processed in a black-and-white mode. When thus created confidential paper is copied, restriction such as copying inhibition will not be applied. Thus, unauthorized uses of confidential papers can not be prevented, and therefore there is a risk that image data is leaked causing a security problem.
In view of the above described circumstance, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus in which the protection of image data is enhanced by configuring the apparatus such that a specific image can be added not only in a color mode, but also in a black-and-white mode.